This was practically a blunt warning. No matter how dense Asuka could be, he understood their meaning perfectly.
He gauged the density of the Spiritual Pressure radiating from everyone present...
Not a single one of them was a pushover, and the two from Squad Zero were downright terrifying.
Even if he stubbornly refused the position and a fight broke out, he felt he wouldn't have the slightest chance of winning.
Asuka was a rather straightforward person who responded better to force than persuasion.
If Oetsu had continued to gently persuade him like Kirio Hikifune, he might not have come around for a while, suspecting some hidden conspiracy.
But since Oetsu had laid everything out in the open, Asuka actually accepted it quite quickly.
'That's right. They're already the captains of the Soul Reaper Captains. Is there really a need for them to go through so much trouble to scheme against me? They could just attack directly.'
'I've really developed a phobia of being set up...' Asuka sighed inwardly.
Furthermore, Kisuke Urahara had slipped up behind Asuka at some point without him noticing.
He didn't speak. Instead, he hid half his face behind his folding fan and, under its cover, shot Asuka an incredibly subtle look.
The message was crystal clear: don't do anything stupid.
"Sigh." He finally let out a helpless sigh, shrugging his shoulders while holding the decree. "Alright, I'll accept it."
"But don't expect too much. I'm not going to bend over backwards to complete missions."
Hearing this, the tense atmosphere in the meeting hall finally eased.
After all, no one wanted a life-or-death struggle to break out here during such turbulent times.
"Excellent! A wise man knows better than to fight the current, Boy!" Oetsu Nimaiya snapped his fingers in satisfaction, returning to his usual laid-back demeanor.
Kirio Hikifune also revealed a kind smile, nodding as she spoke. "Since you have agreed, this will serve as your officially recorded appointment."
"However, as the Soul King's direct Substitute, there is one additional task you must complete."
"What else is there? Just spit it all out at once, please." Asuka's patience was wearing dangerously thin.
"Given that you are practically a blank slate with absolutely no basic understanding of the laws of the Soul Society or the concept of souls..." Kirio Hikifune announced the final portion of the decree.
"In order to ensure you can properly fulfill your duties as a Substitute Soul Reaper, rather than just relying on brute force to destroy things like a barbarian."
"By the decree of the Soul King, you must attend the [Shin'o Academy] for a three-month short-term foundational course."
"Huh?!"
This time, it wasn't just Asuka. Even Kaien Shiba, who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines, couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"A course?!" Asuka wondered if his hearing was failing him. "You want me to go to school with a bunch of brats who can't even hold a sword properly?!"
Was this some kind of joke? Learning to read in private tutoring sessions with Shinobu Kocho was one thing, but sitting in a classroom to learn the basics alongside a bunch of little kids was something else entirely!
"..."
Shinji Hirako couldn't hold it in either. He clutched his stomach, desperately trying to stifle his laughter as his shoulders shook. "Oh my... going to classes at the Shin'o Academy... hehehe."
"Make sure you study hard and get good grades, student!"
Even the usually composed Jushiro Ukitake had a rather strange look in his eyes. He frowned and exchanged a bewildered glance with Shunsui Kyoraku.
"Stop laughing!" Kirio Hikifune shot Shinji a glare before turning a stern gaze toward Asuka. "This is a necessary procedure."
"Your power is undeniably immense, perhaps even overwhelmingly so, but you know absolutely nothing about this world."
"If you possess great power but don't know when to hold back, or don't even understand what it is you are protecting, then your strength will only bring about disaster after disaster."
Oetsu chimed in from the side. "That's right! If you don't even understand how the sword in your hand works, giving you a peerless blade would be no different than handing you a fire poker."
"It won't hurt to learn a little theory, Boy!"
Asuka's mouth twitched violently.
He simply wasn't cut out for studying. Shinobu Kocho had swung her disciplinary ruler at him so fast it left afterimages, yet he still managed to write characters incorrectly.
Making him sit in a classroom listening to some old geezer drone on... he would much rather go to another world and slaughter enemies to his heart's content.
But looking at the uncompromising glares of the two Squad Zero members before him, and feeling the subtle warning of Spiritual Pressure pressing down on him...
"...Fine... I'll do it."
Asuka spat out the words through gritted teeth, feeling as though he had suffered a lifetime's worth of humiliation all in one day.
"Excellent! That concludes the arrangements regarding your status."
Kirio Hikifune rolled up the scroll in satisfaction, standing up to address the room. "Captains, the Soul King's decree has been fully conveyed."
"From here on out, please fulfill your respective duties and work under Head Captain Kyoraku to restore order to the Seireitei as quickly as possible."
"The Soul Society will never fall to a mere conspiracy! May fortune favor your battles. Meeting dismissed!"
With that final declaration, the somewhat dramatic high-level meeting that would determine the future of the Soul Society finally came to an end.
The Captains bowed to Kirio Hikifune and Oetsu Nimaiya before taking their leave, hurriedly rushing back to their respective divisions to deal with the mountains of messes left behind.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi left the fastest. He didn't even bother to spare Kisuke Urahara a glance, his mind entirely consumed with rushing back to repair the ruined Department of Research and Development and analyzing the data he had obtained from Aizen.
Soi Fon also departed swiftly with her Onmitsukido subordinates. Her primary reason for leaving was that she simply didn't know how to face Yoruichi; staying any longer would only throw her heart into further turmoil.
As the meeting hall gradually emptied, the 'unofficial personnel' and 'pardoned exiles' who lacked fixed barracks naturally gathered together.
"Phew... It's finally over. I haven't attended a meeting in so long, I feel like my legs are about to snap from all the standing."
Kaien Shiba stretched his arms wide before turning to look at Kisuke Urahara, Shinji Hirako, and the others who were conversing in hushed tones.
"Hey, everyone," Kaien said, his signature bright smile plastered across his face. "You've all just been cleared of a century-old false charge. That's definitely something worth celebrating."
"Since none of you even have a barracks to stay in right now, if you wouldn't mind..."
He pointed toward the Rukongai. "Would you like to come over to the Shiba Family estate? Our place might be a bit run-down these days, but we can still afford to serve up some good food and fine wine!"
Although the resolution to restore the Shiba Family's status among the Five Noble Families had not yet been officially scheduled, their name still carried significant weight.
"Oh? Being guests at the home of a high-and-mighty noble family?" Shinji Hirako stroked his chin, turning to look at Rojuro Otoribashi and Kensei Muguruma behind him. "Sounds like a decent way to kill time. What do you guys think?"
"As long as there is relaxing music and black tea, I have no objections," Rojuro said, elegantly flicking his blonde hair.
"Hmph." Kensei scoffed, which was as good as an agreement.
Kisuke Urahara fanned himself, sauntering over with a wide smile. "Oh my, a personal invitation from Lord Kaien? I certainly wouldn't dare refuse."
"As it happens, I have a few matters I'd like to discuss with Lady Kukaku anyway."
"Asuka, you should come too!" Kaien threw an arm around Asuka's shoulders. "Let's all go have a good time! Kukaku can cook up a feast to help you recover from the shock!"
Asuka was about to decline. Right now, all he wanted was to return to Shinobu Kocho's side and tell her about his new assignment.
But before he could even open his mouth, the God of the Sword's voice rang out across the room.
"Oh, by the way, Asuka Boy. There's something I need to confirm with you."
"Could you step inside for a moment?"